About

Encyclopedia Destructica is a community-based artist book publisher based in Pittsburgh, Pennsylvania. Encyclopedia Destructica publishes hand-bound artist books and zines. Additionally, Encyclopedia Destructica produces and hosts cultural events including readings, binding parties, screenings and book releases. We are inspired by the need to explore, create and distribute contemporary art and culture in an accessible way that encourages community participation and involvement.

Encyclopedia Destructica's art-zine production is inspired from the need to explore and export contemporary arts/culture in a way that’s accessible and easy to engage in. It provides a forum for a primordial dialogue between artists and their artwork. Produced with a zine attitude and an artist book aesthetic, these hand-bound issues, unique in construction, are distributed carrying precious inspiration but not the weight of a precious art object.

We are interested in community and dialogue throughout the creative process: with the artists and editors in the process of creating an issue; the artwork within the pages of an issue; artists and participants as they work on production in binding sessions; and the viewer engaging the issue and the artwork within. To produce each issue, we hold binding parties, gatherings where artists, friends, & the interested general public come to the Destructica studio and work on the production of the zines. Created and distributed in a DIY fashion, Encyclopedia Destructica promotes this attitude as well as providing support and resources for local artists to create their own book/zine projects.

Encyclopedia Destructica is organized into Volumes that contain 4 Issues with the possibility of addenda. Volume Atum, the first ever, was completed in 2006 and the second volume, Volume Bumba was completed in 2007. We are currently working on Volume Coatlicue. Each volume is named after a creation god from various mythologies.